Method

Make the filling: Put the meat into a big bowl and season it evenly all over with the salt. Add the flour and toss to evenly coat every piece. Put a wide, heavy ovenproof pot over high heat and pour in half of the olive oil. When it begins to smoke, brown the meat on all sides, in batches with the remaining olive oil, if necessary, about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer the meat to a plate.

Add the garlic, onions, thyme, and pepper to the pot, and cook, without stirring, for about three minutes. Return the meat to the pot, stir well, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring now and again. The bottom of the pot should be deep brown and the onions slightly soft. Pour in the red wine, stir, and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook until the liquid looks a little viscous, about 15 minutes.

Add the stock, let it return to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook at a gentle simmer until the meat is tender enough to come apart easily between your fingers, about two hours. Let the filling cool in the pot, cover it with a lid, and chill overnight in the fridge.

Make the dough: Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl, then mix in the suet. Add 50 millilitres water, stirring the mixture with a fork and gradually adding more water if you need it, until you have a slightly sticky dough with the fat well distributed rather than in large chunks. Cover with cling film and chill for at least two hours and up to 24 hours.

The next day, finish and bake the pie: Remove the meat from the pot and put it in a large bowl. Youll have about one litre of solidified liquid remaining in the pot. Put the pot over medium-high heat, bring the liquid to the boil, and cook, stirring often to make sure the onion doesnt stick to the bottom, until it reduces by half, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, break the chunks of meat into smaller pieces. Let the reduced liquid cool completely and pour over the meat. Give it a gentle stir. (To cool it quickly, set the bowl in another slightly larger bowl filled with ice water and stir often.) Coat the sides and bottom of a springform pan with a light layer of butter.

Make a rough ball from about three-quarters of the dough, keeping the rest in the fridge. Dust your work surface with flour and roll out the dough ball into a 35 centimetre disc. Place it in the pan, gently pressing it against the bottom and up the sides so it fits securely. Chill the pie shell in the fridge for at least 15 minutes (it can be refrigerated for as long as overnight).

Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Spoon half of the beef filling into the chilled pie shell. Crumble half of the cheese into large hunks (not little crumbly bits) and scatter over the filling. Spoon in the remaining filling and scatter on the rest of the cheese in the same large hunks.

Dust the work surface with flour again. Form a rough ball with the remaining dough and roll it into a 25 centimetre round. Use a two and a half centimetre round pastry cutter or a small knife to cut a circle in the centre of this round; remove the little circle of dough and set it aside for the moment.

Whisk together the egg yolk and milk in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to brush the rim of the pie with some of the egg mixture. Lay the 25 centimetre round on top of the pie and press it lightly against the rim of the bottom crust until it adheres. Trim off any overhang with a knife, reserve it, and crimp the edges of the pie. Form the reserved dough scraps into a ball. Lightly flour your surface once more and roll out the dough into a disc about half a centimetre thick. Use a five centimetre pastry cutter or a knife to cut out a circle from the dough, then use a two centimetre cutter or a knife to cut out the centre. Youll have an O?shaped piece of dough.

Brush the top of the pie with the egg mixture, and place the O of dough on top so the holes line up. (Reserve the remaining egg mixture.) Chill for about 15 minutes. Brush the top of the pie again with the egg mixture and bake, rotating the pan occasionally, until the crust is crispy and golden brown all over, about 1½ hours. Put the pan on a rack and use a knife to make sure the sides of the crust have separated from the pan. Let it rest for 25 minutes. Carefully loosen the spring and remove the ring. Cut into wedges and serve.A Girl and her Pig

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